The Dutch company, PHYSEE, has received financial backing from the Netherlands Enterprise Agency. So, it plans to apply its special coating on 15 hectares of greenhouses at, at most, ten growers next year. This coating converts harmful UV light into diffuse PAR light. It can be applied by hand and regular spray machines and remains in place for eight years. When using this coating, yields should increase by eight to ten percent.
Kwekerij van Boxel (600 m2) and Firma Verkade (900 m2) have had this coating on their tomato and cucumber greenhouses since July. They're participating in a 40-week pilot project until the end of July 2023. PHYSEE will monitor the coating quality on the greenhouse roofs.
It will also check the light spectra under the coated and reference parts. The growers must monitor their crops every week by tracking how much is harvested and various crop characteristics. In a recent InnovationQuarter interview, more was divulged about this pilot project.
PHYSEE has other technology that uses sensors and AI to improve offices' energy use. That puts it in the running for the Netherlands Innovation prize 2022.